How did you prove your real haircolor?
by bgreenwivy
Summary: This takes off from where Haru's haircolor is in question. You can read the first chapter for a one shot or the whole thing. Enjoy! and reviews are welcome. The continued section also contains some issues that might make people uncomfortable.
1. Chapter 1: Matching Set

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.**

**This can be read as a one shot or as a chaptered story. It has been re edited to fix some continuity errors and gaps in plot. The story has also been condensed and restructured for easier reading. Enjoy!**

"_How did you prove that is your natural hair color, Haru?" Tohru asked liquid brown eyes staring into devilish black ones. _

Haru lay in his bed in a lustful state. Tohru's innocence was charming but something about her spoke to Haru's black side. Both sides of his persona wanted to claim her. Thoughtfully Haru decided to get lost near Shigure's house and see what happened. After all who knew what he could get the trusting innocent to do. For once, Haru's black side agreed with his white and he slumbered peacefully.

At school the next day:

"Tohru, can I speak with you?" Haru asked quietly.

"Sure, Hatsuharu". Tohru replied waving to her friends to continue on to lunch without her. "What's wrong?" She asked curiously.

"I have a problem…" Haru said quietly strolling down the deserted hallway. He could feel Tohru following along behind him quickly, struggling to keep up. Haru had led her to a part of the school that had fallen into disuse recently. The area was clean but deserted. With an exaggerated sigh, Haru stopped and leaned against the wall beside the boy's bathroom door.

"Haru…?" Tohru asked stopping behind him. "You can tell me anything, I will help you if I can." Tohru ran around to stand in front of him eager helpfulness shining in her eyes.

"Why does no one believe without proof that this is my real hair color?" Haru sighed ruffling his hair.

"I think it suits Haru considering…"Tohru broke off bright red with embarrassment about bringing up his zodiac ox status. "I mean really with your nature…" Tohru's sense of self-preservation kicked in and she stopped short.

"I think I shall go cut off my hair." Haru said aloud entering the bathroom and waiting for what he hoped would happen. There was maybe a second lapse between his statement and subsequent entrance into the bathroom when Tohru burst through the doors.

"Don't do it…you should be proud of who you are no matter what." Tohru exclaimed hands clutched willing Haru to understand. Haru understood all right. He had her where he wanted her.

"My mother used to say that no matter what you have to be true to who you are to be happy." Tohru finished.

"Well does my hair color match from head to toe then?" Haru asked as his black side took over and he dropped his pants. He watched delighted when Tohru started to blush. He watched amused as it spread up from her toes. He had never known someone's knees could blush and as the blush rose steadily to her face, Haru's member followed and pulsed.

"Haru what…?" Tohru could barely think straight through her embarrassment and curiosity. Somewhere in her mind, she thought that he matched perfectly. Where his hair on his head was white on top and black at the bottom, the hair surrounding his sex was dark under his shaft and light over it. His happy trail was hardly visible unless you were looking at it hard enough.

"Tohru you haven't answered my question" Haru reminded gently. Both sides of his personality were getting a thrill out of her reaction as he stepped out of his pants and slippers. Walking towards her, he leaned forward slightly and whispered in her ear. "Do you match Tohru?"

Tohru was sure this is what dying felt like. Her whole body was tense, her temperature was high and her mother had never told her what to say or had any advice on something like this. Tohru was sure her mother or any of her friends could come up with something to do in a moment like this. "Yes I—I mmmatch." She stuttered, stepping back only to come up against a stall door.

"Well prove it." Haru replied raising an eyebrow and smiling. Crossing his arms over his chest, he waited not expecting much. His black side was wagging bets with his white side on when she would bolt. As he was about to speak again he heard loud voices outside the restroom door. Swearing he grabbed his pants and pulled them on. Slipping on his slippers, he turned to see Tohru had her eyes scrunched up tight, skirt lifted up and her strawberry print panties around her thighs.

Haru swore viciously, his little game was over, as he walked into the stall that Tohru occupied and shut the door. Covering her mouth with his hand, he pressed a figure to his lips. Tohru's eyes widened in recognition of the danger they were in. The door to the bathroom opened and who ever entered the bathroom was still carrying on the conversation, albeit in the bathroom doorway. Haru carefully switched their positions and sat down on the toilet. Pushing Tohru's panties down further, Haru sat her on his lap, with her back to him and forced her to lean forward with her hands pressed against the stall door.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Haru gripped. Looking down he realized that Tohru's feet could be seen if someone were to look under the stall dividers. Without thinking about it, Haru shifted one foot out of her underwear put it behind him. The other one soon followed. Haru barely managed to stifle a moan.

Tohru was sure she was going to die. Balanced precariously on Haru's lap with both legs tucked around his waist and her arms holding on to the stall door she imagined the laugh people would get. Her skirt was up and her underwear hung from one of her ankles. She felt something hard against her special place. She shifted around try to move of it and heard Haru's quick intake of breath. Glancing over her shoulder she looked at him askance, only to find him smiling devilishly with eyes twinkling as he worked his pants down enough to reveal his member standing at attention.

Haru was sure when Kyo and Yuki found out about this he was going to be slaughtered. Placing a finger over his lips, he signaled again for the need to be silent and Tohru's mouth pressed into a firm line as he slid his fingers over the lips of her nether region.

Distantly Tohru could hear whoever was in the bathroom humming a song. She however could not focus on anything but Haru's touch between her legs. She burned and shivered as he slid his fingers back and forth. Her nipples hardened under her shirt and sensations she had previously only felt in her bed at Shigure's house flowed through her. Biting her lip she glanced over her shoulder and watched as Haru inserted a finger into her passage. Not being able to watch him touch and not make a sound. Haru turned her attention back through the slits on the side of the stall door and looked out.

Leaning back, Haru inserted another finger into Tohru's body and watched her body taking and dampening with moisture. Listening he heard the sound of their bathroom companion using the urinal and smiled ideally. Waiting for the right moment as he felt Tohru spasm around his fingers and watched her bite her hand to keep from crying out he entered her.

There was a brief moment where a sharp pain filled Tohru's gut as Haru entered her. Biting down on her hand harder Tohru tasted blood as the pain faded and pleasure returned.

Haru lifted and lowered Tohru slowly onto him. When she walked her hands up the stall door, he noticed that one was bleeding slightly. Haru stopped moving briefly to make sure it was not serious. Tohru however was not to be deterred and slowly began to push herself back and forth onto Haru's shaft. Leaning back, Haru watched in amusement and Tohru worked herself up and down his shaft. Her breathing was getting louder and Haru neatly reached out and grabbed a ponytail.

Tohru could barely hold in a scream. She never knew why she enjoyed when people pulled on her hair until now as it sent her crashing over the edge into a hard climax. Crashing onto the floor Tohru shuddered and waited for her actions to receive notice, only to find that whoever had been in the bathroom had left. Panting Tohru looked up to find Haru looking down at her with heavy lidded eyes as the bell rang.

"Saved by the bell." Haru thought grumpily as he adjusted himself for what must have been the hundredth time.

The minute the bell had sounded for lunch ending the bathroom interlude had ended. Tohru had hastened to be off. Leaving Haru sitting on the toilet and painfully erect. With a sigh, he had wiped himself off and decided not to finish off what Tohru had started. Once he had been restored back to his calm and orderly appearance he had been about to leave when he spotted Tohru's underwear had fallen off her legs and were currently resting on the floor behind the commode. Picking them up Haru smiled, and had an idea.

"Tohru what did that dumb ox want to talk to you about?" Kyo asked irritated with how shaken Tohru had looked when she had re entered the classroom after lunch. Now on their walk home Kyo was determined to get answers.

"It was p-pppersonal." Tohru stammered shivering again as a cool breeze went up her skirt and reminded her again of her panty less state.

"Will you just tell me already!" Kyo hissed hair seeming to stand on end.

"Stop harassing her and she may respond." Yuki responded for her as he caught up with them. Yuki's comment served the dual purpose of giving Tohru time to think of an excuse and drawing Kyo's anger and attention.

"Listen Rat I don't think I asked you a question!" Kyo responded his hackles successfully raised by his long time nemesis.

As the two began to verbally attack and berate each other Tohru wondered about what had happened in the bathroom. She knew she liked it a lot, but had Haru liked it? Had he been as satisfied as she was? Was he now thinking she was wanton for what had happened? As a million thoughts went through her head, she began to feel dizzy and slightly ill.

"Tohru-san!" an exuberant voice yelled right before Momiji jumped at her for a hug. Haru had be slowly walking behind Momiji got an eyeful as she lay on the ground with her legs spread slightly from the force of Momiji's greeting.

"Momiji, get off of her!" Kyo growled picking up the rabbit by the scruff of his neck. Tohru sat up slowly as Yuki bent to see if she was all right. Tohru waved off his concern with a laugh until she spotted Haru and realized where he was looking.

"Ms. Honda what is wrong?" Yuki asked when he noticed the flush that had washed over her skin.

"I'm fine." Tohru replied shaking herself out of her stupor and getting to her feet. With a smile at Yuki, she called a greeting to Haru. Haru nodded response and he waited patiently for her to notice.

"Haru why are you wearing a strawberry patterned ascot?" Yuki asked dusting himself off.

"A!" Tohru squeaked recognizing her undergarment now parading as an ascot. She began to overheat and the last thing she heard before she passed out was Haru replying it had been a gift.

Waking up slowly Tohru recognized she was in her room. Momiji was curled up at her feet fast asleep and sitting in her chair was a highly amused Haru. Haru grinned when he realized she was awake. Standing he picked up his sleeping cousin and placed him in the chair and covered him with a blanket.

"What are you doing here, Haru- sama?" Tohru queried nervously. Staring at her underwear that peeked out of his shirt.

"Shigure and the others didn't want to leave you alone while they went out so Momiji and I stayed to make sure you were okay." Haru explained looking at her pert breasts under the nightgown Hatori had put on her. "Hatori said you had a mild fever so you had to stay in bed."

"Can I have my underwear back?" Tohru asked quietly embarrassed by his perusal of her person in nightclothes.

"What will I get for returning them?" Haru asked reaching forward and undoing a button on the nightgown. Leaning back, he waited.

"Momiji is here." Tohru whimpered.

"There was someone else in the bathroom," Haru chuckled. "You like the idea of almost getting caught." Haru rasped as he felt his black side shift into dominance. Standing by Tohru's bed, he removed his clothes and stood beside her bed. His hair cast shadows over his eyes and Tohru could only stare at his body in awe.

Casting one final glance at the sleeping Momiji, she removed her nightgown and layback down waiting. Haru watched her actions with amusement, through his hair he could just make out the tremor running up and down her body as she forced herself to relax.

Placing his hands behind his back, he drew closer to Tohru not quite touching her. Lowering to his knees, he continued his approach. "Put you legs on either side of my head." He murmured noting that Momiji had shifted his position in the chair.

"This has the potential to be very interesting." Haru thought glancing over at his sleeping cousin with a smile as Tohru adjusted to his demands.

Tohru realized she might be in dangerous territory about an hour later when Haru tied her hands together with her own underwear. He had commanded and she had willing done everything he asked. It seemed she would do anything he asked. "I want him to be happy." Tohru thought as she complied with his newest set of demands. Glancing over she noticed that Momiji's eyes were slightly open. Tohru blushed, and started hurriedly sitting up so fast Haru had little time to react. The top of her head connected under his chin and both he and Tohru fell off the bed.

Unfortunately, Tohru had managed to touch the stunned Haru in such a way that he changed into his zodiac form and lay stunned on the ground. Momiji jumped up eyes wide with amusement.

"Tohru, Momiji and Haru we are back". Shigure called from the front door.

"Shut up Tohru is probably still asleep." Kyo yelled.

"If not you probably already woke her up." Yuki admonished with disdain. A vein in Kyo's forehead pulsed as he yelled a reply.

Meanwhile upstairs, Momiji's amusement vanished. Leaning down he smacked Haru as hard as he could causing the ox to groan lightly.

"I think I will go check on our patient." Shigure told the fighting duo. "Try not to destroy anything Kyo." He called over his shoulder as he headed up the stairs.

Momiji heard Shigure's footfalls on the steps with his rabbit hearing and quickly dragged the unconscious Tohru onto the bed. There was a poof and Haru was back in his human form naked but slowly coming back to his senses. Momiji stuffed him under the mattress and just had enough time to stuff Tohru's nightgown under the covers and curl into position by her feet.

Feigning sleep Momiji watched Shigure open the door and saunter in quietly. Pulling a sheet of paper from his robe, he leaned a little out in the hallway to catch the light.

"Be sure to check temperature and pulse to make sure Tohru is alright." Shigure read aloud thinking. Momiji stiffened but maintained his sleeping posture. Walking over to Tohru Shigure leaned down and felt her forehead. "Still warm". He mumbled to himself. Trailing his fingers down Tohru's face, Shigure felt for the pulse in her neck and could not find it.

"Well I guess I am going to have to remember how to find it on the wrist." Shigure sighed. Momiji's eyes opened in horror as he recalled that her own underwear bound Tohru's wrists under the covers.

Momiji jumped up suddenly startling Shigure in the process of reaching for Tohru's wrist, which her underwear held together.

"I don't feel so good." Momiji whined coughing exaggeratedly to make his point. Standing he wobbled towards the door grabbing on to Shigure and beginning to cry piteously.

Haru immediately realized what Momiji was doing and with a yank untied the drowsy Tohru's wrists. Moving quickly he managed to get Tohru's head in her nightgown and one arm as Momiji continued his dramatics. Throwing the other arm to the appropriate armhole Haru noticed that Tohru was blurrily watching him. Smiling gently at her, he kissed her forehead and forced the gown down over her chest.

"Momiji I have to check on Tohru so you are going to have to wait." Shigure reasoned. Turning around he noticed that Tohru's eyes were open.

"Come on Momiji, Hatori can check you out when we get home." Haru commented. Feigning a yawn for Shigure's benefit and scratching the back of his head.

"Alright. Bye Tohru-chan." Momiji replied tiredly and allowed Haru to lead him out of the room.

Tohru propped herself up on the pillow while Shigure checked her pulse. "Well everything seems almost back to normal." Shigure smiled happily leaving Tohru to sleep. Tohru was just about to do just that when she shot straight up in bed and looked around wildly.

"Oh no! Not again!" She cried distraught.

Meanwhile….

"Here you go Momiji." Haru said handing him his prize for assisting in his seduction scheme.

Momiji smiled idly, putting his prize in his pocket.

"What do you intend to do with those?" Haru asked putting both hands behind his head in a relaxed gesture. He waited patiently for Momiji response as they trekked home from Shigure's house.

"I think I shall start a collection." Momiji replied sweetly. Haru stopped and looked at his cousin. "Everyone occasionally needs a good wingman, someone to cover their asses when things get rough." Momiji kept walked leaving a stunned Haru to follow.

"Well who knew?" Haru commented to no one in particular.

"Getting a free show out of the deal isn't too bad either. Now that I think about it is especially good until the time when my body catches up with my mind." Momiji continued. Haru waited patiently for Momiji to say something else but when nothing else was forthcoming, they continued in silence.

"It is late." Hatori commented as they entered his home to report on Tohru.

"We went underwear shopping and forgot the time." Momiji retorted brightly before saying, "and I think I am sick." Haru promptly fell out on the floor laughing, as Hatori sighed.


	2. Chapter 2: Phone Smoke

**Disclaimer: I do not own fruits basket.**

**I tried to end this but found that I had been secretly developing a plot and an idea for a continuation. Oh and please review I like to be told how I am doing. Constructive criticism is always welcome as well as thoughts in general.**

Hatori sat in his office and frowned. The visit from Haru and Momiji had been unnerving. Haru had almost choked on his laughter and Momiji was expressing some of the dangerous aspects of his rabbit sign. Hatori had quickly checked Momiji over and given him a shot with stern orders to get some rest. Haru had meandered off with Momiji into the night as Hatori had lit a cigarette and crossed his legs. Thinking about the different aspects of the Sohma clan's relationships. More pressingly though was the matter of what Momiji hitting puberty would mean for the rest of them. The implications were staggering and Hatori tried to run through the possible outcomes.

"Brinnnggg." Hatori turned stopping his analysis and looked at his phone. Looking at the clock on the wall Hatori sighed. Only two people would dare call him after midnight on his house phone. Picking up the receiver, he took a puff on his cigarette and blew out the smoke. He did not speak into the phone but waited impatiently.

"Ha-san!" Shigure greeted him. Hatori stayed silent smoking his cigarette.

"How are you?" Shigure tried again for a response leaning back into his chair. Shigure was sitting in his room with the lights turned off. Completely naked he waited to hear the voice that always sent him into heaven. Being a dog he knew he had to handle his one sided relationship with the Dragon with care. Listening patiently Shigure played with his nipples and waited for his dominating other half to give him some relief from his anxiety.

"Why shouldn't I hang up?" Hatori breathed letting the smoke filter out of his mouth slowly. Shigure almost whimpered from the thought of that breath blowing on his skin.

"I wanted to tell you how Tohru was doing." Shigure replied softly. Letting his hand slide down into his lap, he squeezed himself gently, taking the drops of pre cum off the tip and smoothing them down his shaft.

"Haru and Momiji reported in already." Hatori breathed and thought about his morning appointments.

"Well they didn't know her temperature or her pulse now did they?" Shigure questioned smoothly as he took himself in hand and began to pump waiting for the next sound Hatori expelling smoke from his smooth lips. "How is Momiji by the way and are you alone?" Shigure asked in anticipation of the next pull of the cigarette. Shigure imagined Hatori at his desk still dressed in his clothes from the day. His legs crossed wearing a slightly irritated expression as he listened to him talk. Slowly dragging on the cigarette, cheeks hollowed out from the pull. Shigure imagined himself as that cigarette and Hatori was dragging on him.

"Momiji has a fever and at present I am alone." Hatori said preparing to hang up exhaling the smoke before continuing and hearing an excited groan on the other end. "Don't come…" he commanded and paused as he inhaled from his cigarette. Hatori started finish his dictate but a crash from the other side of the line stopped him. With an impatient sigh, he hung up not bothering to continue talking to the distracted Dog. On the other end, Shigure had fallen out his chair in surprise at the command. His head throbbing in time with his still raging erection.

"Does he know?" Shigure thought rapidly. "No way." He said with a titter climbing into his bed. However, as Shigure dreamed he dreamed of the Dragon blowing smoke at him.

Putting out his cigarette Hatori took off all his clothes and lay in his bed naked. His silk sheets caressed his skin like a lover as he winded down for a few hours of rest. As he was drifting off his bedside phone rang. Grumbling about the need to get caller id he picked up the receiver and waited for who he knew was on the line to speak.

Tohru did not know what prompted her to call Hatori. In fact, when he answered Tohru hung up. Staring at the phone, she shook herself. "I will not allow anyone to get the better of me." She thought determined. "I will keep my guard up like Kyo said." Nodding she walked back to room. Passing Shigure's room, she heard what sounded like a groan of agony. Stopping she turned and looked at the closed door.

Tohru's recent experience with men had taught her to be wary of bedrooms. For that, matter bathrooms would also be a good place to keep her guard up. Nodding resolutely, Tohru decided she would learn self-defense. Going into her room, she closed the door and thought about what had happened to her today. Her thoughts put her to sleep but some things cleared in her mind. Foremost among her task list was getting her underwear back. Talking to Momiji about what had happened would be second.

The next few days found Tohru at a loss. Momiji and Haru never seemed to be around, Shigure was oddly sedate and Yuki and Kyo fought more than ever before. Walking home from work by herself Tohru was lost in her thoughts. When an arm reached out and grabbed her she barely had time for self-awareness before darkness closed in all around her.

Akito watched as the thugs that he had hired loaded Tohru's unconscious body into the backseat of the car. Akito smiled quietly as he tossed the money at the leader of the gang. Akito had plans for Tohru. A cage would suit her perfectly. On the drive to the Sohma compound Akito could not help glancing at the unconscious form. She would be an integral part of his plans; she had stopped him from having complete control over his animals. Now they would all pay.

Tohru awoke shivering on the floor. Clasping her hands together, she realized she wore no clothes. Slowly Tohru took in her surroundings. Awareness came to her suddenly as she caught a smiling Akito sitting in the corner. Upon arriving at the compound Akito had the driver carry Tohru in to the room that had formerly housed the cat. Then he had sent out his summons. Knowing there was very little time now to wait Akito rose and walked over to the shivering Tohru.

"You should be happy I have graced you with my presence." Akito hissed to the cowering girl. "I rarely explain myself but for you I will make an exception. You see my pets are getting so close to you. As their God, I want their happiness. I have decided that it would be unfair to them all if you were only limited to certain ones." Smiling Akito stopped and tilted his head slightly.

A small blonde boy entered and his eyes widen at the sight of a naked Tohru. "My darling rabbit," Akito crooned. "Come you will have a seat of honor next to me." At Momiji's hesitation, Akito's anger flared. Stalking over to the cowering rabbit Akito glared at him in warning before seating himself in the corner on top of a pile of cushions. Momiji realizing the potential for peril sat stiffly beside Akito and started to pray with every fiber of his being that everything would be all right.

"The other guest of honor should be here soon." Akito said trapping Tohru in his gaze. Tohru shivered and gathered her courage.

"Why?" Tohru asked quietly trying to be brave.

Akito hesitated, "Why not?" Leaning to the side he propped himself up on his elbow. Taking the opposite hand, he reached into his sleeve and pulled out a pair of strawberry print underwear. Twirling them around his finger, he smiled sadistically. "Tohru to keep me from doing more harm to my darling animals you must submit to them. After all fair is fair and you had no problem getting the rabbit to sleep with you." Akito drawled the last of this and glanced at a stricken Momiji.

"Akito you called for me?" A calm voice called through the screen.

"Now the fun begins." Akito whispered sitting up and lazily calling for Hatori to enter.

Hatori entered the room and at once knew this situation was dangerous. Momiji was cowering behind an expressionless Akito in the corner by the door. Tohru was naked on the opposite side of the room and had curled up into a ball to minimize the view of her body.

"What is the meaning of this Akito?" Hatori asked calmly reigning in his temper.

"Tohru is going to be your play thing and Momiji and I are going to watch." Akito responded lazily.

"Akito this is just a delusion. The last time you were sick must have cause you to…" Hatori stopped his rational explanation as Akito smiled at him. Removing a knife from his robes Akito began to pick under his meticulous fingernails. Hatori was at a loss.

"Poor Hatori, the very words cut from your throat. I am a child in the body of a man. Here beside me resides the man within the child's body." Akito whispered delicately. "Whores are the worst people in the world but a concubine at least has a title and standing. Hatori disobey and she goes to a dark place." Twirling the knife between his fingers, he smiled.

"Akito- sama," Hatori said trying for the voice of reason.

"You know what happened to the last woman you tried to defend. One eye was lost…you paid for it, is it time for another eye to be taken?" Akito queried.

"Hatori, please don't let him hurt you?" Tohru murmured. Hatori slowly turned and stared into the large caramel eyes pleading at him. "Just do it."

Momiji had drawn himself up from his position slightly behind Akito. Smiling sweetly at Tohru, he nodded his approval of her actions and settled down to watch. Momiji knew he would have to save her somehow. He was not quite sure but he had luck and he was clever, resolutely Momiji was determined to save Tohru.

As if sensing his thoughts Akito spoke without bothering to look at Momiji. "If you interfere in any way I will have a rabbit's foot, the eye of a dragon and the body of…" Akito did not need to finish as he felt Momiji's hope fade slowly. "Just watch and learn from the Hatori, your time will come again."

Hatori could not think of a way out of his current predicament. "Akito was going to push this and one wrong move on his part would result in…" Hatori could not finish the thought. "Can we move to a room with a bed?" Resigning himself, Hatori addressed the Sohma head. When Akito indicated the negative, Hatori knew his course of action was set and the consequences would be severe.

Hatori sat down Indian style behind Tohru's naked form. Tohru tensed slightly but began to relax as Hatori ran his fingertips over her skin. He began to massage her entire body determined that she be ready for him when he took her.

"In case you were wondering, I suggest you use the pull out method." Akito called from across the room. Momiji looked at Akito horrified. Hatori, not surprised by this announcement, continued. Tohru thought about advice her mother had given her about experience. Tohru managed to stay relaxed up until the point Hatori straddled her. Lying facedown Tohru managed to calm her breathing. Patiently Hatori waited for her to adjust before continuing.

Momiji was fascinated by what he was seeing. Deep in thought, he compared Hatori and Haru. "Hatori's position over Tohru was so strong yet so gentle. Haru had been the same way but with a darker edge. Haru had even made Tohru…" Momiji started to perk up but immediately went back over the last few minutes of conversation. "Akito said she was to be their play thing but he never specified what type of play!" Momiji had thought of a way out of the situation. Sexual acts would still be performed but there would be no risk of pregnancy. Quickly Momiji thought of a way to convey his thoughts to Hatori.

Hatori flipped Tohru over and began to massage her pert breasts. Through his hair, he glanced at Akito and saw Momiji sucking on his thumb eyes wide begging him to understand. Hatori briskly began to think back to the previous conversation. He became mildly sidetracked when Tohru moaned her approval of his hands on her breast. Flicking her aroused nipples, he leaned to suck on them when Hatori hit upon the solution. Leaning down he began to lick Tohru everywhere. Stopping occasionally, he blew on her skin and watched the goose bumps form. She begged for an end to her torment but Hatori was relentless and put on a good show for his guests.

Akito was impressed by the dragon's sexual skill. "Being a doctor does give you a good grasp on anatomy after all." Akito thought before he began to whisper a running commentary for the tense Momiji.

Hatori heard the whispering but concentrated on his task of fingering an almost senseless with pleasure Tohru. Smiling for the first time, he watched her eyes roll in the back of her head as she had an orgasm. Hatori removed his fingers and licked them clean smiling as Tohru whimpered and licked her lips.

"You know Tohru I think I want your mouth." Hatori said huskily. Tohru nodded her head in understanding as she got to her knees. Tohru bent over Hatori who had returned to sitting Indian style with his back against the wall. Not realizing the view she was going to be giving she began to lick Hatori's shaft.

Akito watched the show impassively. From the corner of his eye, he saw the rabbit begin to break out into a sweat and tremor slightly. Akito felt himself smile; the little rabbit was enjoying the show. Turning back, he smiled at how Tohru had her but in the air as she took more and more of Hatori down her throat. Akito stood and petted Momiji gently on the head; approaching Tohru, he ran his hands down her flanks as he got on his knees behind her. Hatori watched him nostrils flared, ready to interfere as necessary. Tohru felt the caress but was determined to finish what she started.

Akito removed his hands only to slap first one but cheek then the other. Hatori felt a chuckle rising in his chest but quickly stifled it as he felt his muscles tighten with his approaching orgasm. "Look at me Hatori." Akito murmured as his slaps on Tohru's behind became harder and harder. Hatori looked at Akito as he shot his seed deep into Tohru's throat, simultaneously she screamed and came as well, collapsing into Hatori's lap.

"Not bad." Akito said thoughtfully. "For the time being she will be put in the room next to mine."

"What about her schooling?" Hatori asked eyeing Akito.

"She will continue of course." Akito shrugged. "Tohru will be expected to perform on a regular basis with whoever I say."

Momiji watched this exchange with a sense of detachment. He could not believe what he had just witnessed. Momiji's entire body was hot and uncomfortable. Akito finally dismissed him after five minutes. Momiji walked back to his room in a haze of lust. He needed relief and he knew just where to go to get some but first he had to go tell Haru about the recent developments.

"Until the maids can get the room settled she can sleep with you." Akito said magnanimously. Covering up a yawn, he rose to his feet. "You should thank me for being so generous. I could have forced you to do more than you did."

"Thank you." Hatori nodded.

"Next time though I think I will insist on some blood being spilled." Akito thought aloud as he left the room. "I wonder what that dumb dog will come up with if I insist upon that."

Hatori stiffened hearing those words. "Oh and next time Hatori it will be your turn to watch." Akito called over his shoulder as he shut the door with a snap. Tohru's eyes widened as she sat up and looked at Hatori.

"Take my coat to cover up with." Hatori said shrugging out of his doctor's coat. Tohru took hesitantly before slipping on the oversized garment. "It would appear that Akito has some horrible things in store for you. I strongly suggest you let your courage waver. Be strong and remain submissive. Akito will get bored and you will be free." Reaching into the coat pocket he removed a pack of cigarettes and lit one. Rising he held out his hand to Tohru and helped her stand.

"What does all this mean?" Tohru asked Hatori as he led her out of the room. Stopping as he was about to step over the threshold he turned and looked down at her.

"I am going to have to get you on birth control as soon as possible." Hatori replied slipping back into his role of calm and collected doctor. Looking at Tohru's bewildered face he smiled. "Akito has a purpose whether it is good or bad depends on his mood. He may look like an adult Tohru but inside he is still a child ready to destroy something when it is no longer of use to him." Noticing Tohru's face had shifted to a frightened look; Hatori quickly soothed her. "You will be as protected." Something in Hatori's eyes made Tohru believe him and as she followed him to his room, she made a promise.

"Mother I will not let anything happen to any of the members of the Zodiac." Tohru thought as Hatori tucked her into bed. "Nothing will happen to them." She thought as her exhaustion caught up with her and she fell into a troubled sleep.

Hatori let another cigarette and looked out his window. The moon was bright and full of promise. "I will not let her down." Hatori said staring at the sky. Quietly he lay on his couch, opened his case file on Akito, and began to write.


	3. Chapter 3: The Troubles of God

**AnimeAddictGirl15 definitely deserves some credit for this. As always, thanks for helping me get through from an odd plot dilemma. You may not immediately realize where you helped but you did. In addition, thanks to my reviewers, who keep me motivated with their comments and observations.**

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.

Akito sat on his bed and watched the sunrise over his beautiful garden. His thoughts traveled around what had happened last night and what he would let occur. Smiling, he mentally began to reword his statement of purpose for the dog. Never in his life had he enjoyed such a pursuit as he had tonight. Coughing delicately, he smiled at the blood on his palm. His time was short. Even Hatori did not know how short. Sighing he replayed moments in his life. Remembering overhearing the fateful conversation that had sent him crashing into a rage so strong that he had killed his mother and had become even more fragile and unstable.

Akito was born a girl. His mother upon realizing that Akito was a female insisted that she be brought up as a boy. This was his mother's attempt at keeping his father's attention; she had even threatened to kill Akito if her mandate was not followed. She got her wish. Unfortunately, it had driven Akira, Akito's father, further away.

Akito may have gotten over his emotional instability if he had never gone through puberty when instead of breasts he began to grow a penis. Akito had been a late bloomer, not starting until he was eighteen and had not noticed much until after being frightfully sick, Hatori noticed in the physical exam. Akito had been in a relationship at the time and upon hearing, Hatori's news had once again fallen psychologically ill and physically sick. Ending the only happy relationship he had ever had, he internalized his feelings to the point where he was destructive to all and took joy in other's misery.

Akito had done a lot of damage to his animals during this time. Hatori's eye had only been the tip of the iceberg. He had caged his animals, beaten them and tried to break them. They had all survived, more or less. He was letting them feel his pain. In reality he was doing them a service. They could relate to him in some ways now because of what he had done.

His mother had been overjoyed at his change to a man. He had heard her telling Hatori that Akira loved her best still because he had made their daughter a man. Akito had quietly risen from his bed and stealthily followed his mother to her home. As she rested peacefully, he had broken every bone in her neck. Akito smiled at that particular memory. One less problem female in his life. One less set of malicious eyes watching and praying for his death.

Tohru however was a challenge. He was sure she wanted to break the curse but he was not sure of much else. Lying down Akito pondered what he had gleaned from conversations about her. She had not given him any problems yet. Should she ever go against him, Akito would destroy her. "Any sign of rebellion and she was as good as dead." Akito smiled at the thought and drifted to sleep at ease for the first time in a long time.

Tohru woke up confused and alone. Her school uniform was laid out for her and a note from Hatori read that he would pick her up from school. Dressing quickly, Tohru left his suite of rooms only to find Momiji sitting on the wall facing Hatori's door waiting for her.

"Ready?" Momiji asked smiling wide. Tohru blushed hotly and nodded. "Haru should be here soon, as long as he didn't get lost."

"Haru gets lost in his own home?" Tohru questioned curiously.

"All the time." Momiji answered scratching his head and laughing. "This compound is like its own island." Just then, Haru arrived and looked at the two cheerful people in front of him scrawling.

"Tohru what are you doing here?" Haru asked a smile slowly forming.

"Funny you should ask…" Tohru said nervously. Momiji began to laugh so hard he choked.

"Don't worry Tohru I will explain later." Momiji sang through his laughter as they began their trek to school. Akito watched them go through the window and smiled. He would take great joy in ruining that particular picture of domesticity very soon.

Tohru had made it through school without much of a hassle. Avoiding Kyo had almost caused her to crash into a wall but it had been nothing too bad. Her two best friends were worried but she allayed their fears by telling them she was working too hard and was tired. As school let out she walked quickly to the car Hatori was driving and got in. Turning she realized that Shigure was already there and Akito was in the front seat.

Shigure did not believe his luck. Akito had summoned him to the main house. Akito and Shigure shared a secret, one no one knew. Shigure had hoped that Akito wanted to talk about the secret, the reason behind his exile. Akito had other plans. Shigure had been hoping for a reconciliation only to find that Akito was demanding his cooperation. Tohru's existence in the life of the Sohma's was at stake. Even if Shigure was selfish, he realized how important Tohru was to everyone and agreed to Akito's demands.

Shigure had never been in such a scattered state of mind. His usual perverted nature and crazy hormones had turned him into a complete mess. Shigure had been so sure that he was being summoned for reconciliation that few other alternatives had entered his head. The conversation with Akito burned into Shigure's memory.

"_As the dog you are known for selfishness and being stubborn. Tonight is a test of how honest you can be with yourself and feelings. You must make Tohru willingly bleed for you. Without touching her, you must make her understand true torment and passion. You may only touch her if she begs; otherwise, she can be the only one to touch. She must be willing to do anything for you." Akito had smiled. "We both know that you enjoy torturing people, just look at your poor little editor". Shigure had been taken aback by Akito's statement. His being an erotica author was a secret he tried to keep hidden. _

_Hatori, who had been crouching behind Akito, was sullen and quietly amused at Shigure's distressed expression. "Serves him right for having the editor almost commit suicide and have nervous breakdowns, time and again." _

"_Hatori will be there to take care of Tohru's welfare afterwards. Don't worry, if you are as creative as you think you are then you should have no problem." Akito finished explaining and waited for a reaction. _

_Shigure could not bear to look at his former lover but instead looked at the object of his misplaced lust. Hatori was eyeing him with pity. If Shigure had known the Dragon's thoughts, he would have taken some comfort from them. _

_At the time, Hatori felt an overwhelming sadness, "If only Akito had stayed a girl. Alternatively, if Akito had told Shigure the truth about his hermaphrodite status then they would have never gone through this. Together they could have weathered it all." Neither knew that Hatori had observed the couple in the garden. It was to be their last time together before Akito had begun to alter. The next day Shigure had suffered both Akito's rejection of their relationship and his banishment from the Main House without an explanation. Hatori was the only one who knew the truth. _

Hatori's thoughts at present were much the same as they had been then. The Sohma secrets were something Hatori bore with patience and will. Hatori now drove to one of the lesser used homes of the Sohma. The house was really a mansion straight out of the age of the samurai. Pulling in the circular driveway, Hatori glanced in the rearview mirror and watched Tohru lick her lips. Shigure traced the path Tohru's tongue had followed with the tip of his finger before he exited the car. Tohru shivered and removed herself from the car. Akito remained in the car with Hatori watching as the two entered.

"Hatori did you bring your cigarettes with you?" Akito asked quietly turning fathomlessin Hatori's direction. At Hatori's nod Akito continued. "I think if Shigure seems to falter in his course or change his mind burn him. Burn him somewhere it will hurt." Akito thought back to his lovers love for a sting in the midst of pleasure. Smiling he got out of the car and walked into the house.

Hatori and Akito followed the trail of clothes throughout the house to find Tohru and Shigure naked in the kitchen. Tohru was fixing some food while Shigure sat in a chair and watched. Akito perched on a counter and got comfortable. Hatori grabbed one of the chairs from the table and slid it back near Akito.

"Tohru- san did I ever tell you that Akito and I use to sleep together?" Shigure asked Tohru. She was so shocked she cut herself. Blood poured from the wound as Tohru panicked. Shigure slid his eyes to the silent watchers. Akito could not believe the dog's insubordination and Hatori merely lit a cigarette in preparation. It was going to be a long night.

Shigure wrote erotica for a living and while some of was based on his experiences a lot of it relied on his imagination. Now Shigure felt as if he had stepped into one of the erotica he wrote. Glancing at his former lover, he saw Akito practically shaking with rage. Hatori had lit a cigarette and was watching him calmly. Shigure shuddered lightly as he watched those lips draw slowly from the cigarette.

Turning back to the task, Shigure watched Tohru wrap her finger in a bandage blushing helplessly. Tohru knew she was suppose to submit but this was truly too much. Her finger throbbed painfully from where she had almost cut it off. Inspiration struck Shigure like a bolt of lightening. "Tohru could you do me a favor." Shigure called making Tohru turn to look at him with wide eyes.

"Tohru why don't you sit on the table in front of me so I can get a good look at you." Shigure asked sweetly patting the spot in front of him. Tohru dutifully sat ankles crossed swinging gently and her hands folded in her lap. "Spread your legs Tohru. I want to see your insides." Tohru gulped. Scooting back, she spread her legs as wide as they would go and leaned back resting on her forearms.

Shigure stared at Tohru leaning forward he watched as her body spread open before him. For the longest, time Shigure just sat and looked at Tohru. Watching her breathing slow and the way her stomach quivered slightly with her trepidation. "Tohru, I want to hear about your experiences with other men."

Tohru thought she had been blushing before but now she felt as if all the blood had left her body and was now attempting to make up for that lose by rushing around frantically. Tohru closed her eyes and swallowed trying to rid her mouth of the dry sensation. Tohru could feel Shigure's breath on her lower abdomen.

"It all started with Hatsuharu's hair." Tohru started to explain. Her eyes grew heavy lidded as she relived the experiences she had at the hands of Haru.

"Touch yourself for me." Shigure said quietly. Shigure watched her capable hands with her slender fingers trail down her skin. Laying all the way back Tohru began to run her hands down her body stroking her abdomen and cupping her breasts. Tohru put her heels on the table, allowing her legs to open wider. Tohru continued to talk about her first encounter with Haru. How she had loved the way she felt, excited over the prospect of someone seeing her.

"I realized later that Haru still had my underwear and I knew the price to get them back would be high." Tohru said as she finally touched herself, placing a finger just within her folds.

Shigure just managed to restrain himself from throwing himself at someone. As he listened to Tohru talk, he realized he was listening to a girl fast becoming a woman. Shigure wanted her but his loyalties…Shigure glanced at the two silent figures. Akito was observing the proceedings with a clinical air while Hatori was running out of cigarettes. He had started out with a full pack and now looked to be down to one. Hatori's color was bad and he had ashes on his pants.

Shigure felt himself begin to smile at the flustered Hatori when his attention shifted back to Tohru. "Shigure touch me." Tohru whispered opening her sultry eyes. Shigure swallowed. He could now touch her but he did not want to. He had told Akito he could do this but faced now with the reality he was not sure if he had been honest with himself.

To touch Tohru would be to rid himself of the memory of Akito. The final parting before it all fell apart. Shigure could barely tolerate comparing the two. He liked Tohru well enough but she was not the beauty that was Akito.

Drawing a deep breath Shigure resigned himself to pretending that he was touching Akito again. The way he had in Akito's garden. Running his hands down the Tohru's outer thighs and up the inner thighs, he smiled at her intake of breath. Tohru stopped talking and Shigure stopped moving, looking up at Tohru expectantly. Tohru got the idea and Shigure went back to his former occupation.

Hatori was sure that this is what hell should feel like. Hatori smoked his cigarettes with a sense of abandon. He was well aware that Shigure fantasized about him and knew about his Tohru fascination. The fact that he had been Akito's lover just added more fuel to the fire. Akito was not giving anything away as he sat near Hatori and that is what had Hatori worried. If Akito was angry it showed that, he was thinking but if Akito was nonchalant, it meant that a plan was in the works or already playing out.

Akito felt the worry and nerves coming from Hatori and barely managed to stifle a smile. Akito amused by Hatori's obvious concern had already decided that nothing else really matter right now but picking the perfect moment. The moment when he could strike and be the most effective in making his former lover pay a little more to the piper for his obedience. Shigure was now licking the alphabet in the Tohru's womanhood. "You can't teach old dog new tricks, after all." Akito thought remember a similar move from before.

Shigure was almost mindless in his sensory overload. Tohru tasted fantastic and smelled even better. Hearing her describe her encounter at the hands of Hatori was driving him insane with lust. Glancing over he noticed that Hatori had stopped smoking and was staring at Tohru with astonishment. Male pride and nonchalance warred for dominance on his features before he regained his focus and went back to worry. Tohru stared at Hatori as she spoke of his experience at his hands, watching his reaction almost made her stop but she kept talking only to keep Shigure from stopping. Akito was looking at his nails and seemed to have detached himself from the scene.

Tohru had finished describing her encounter with Hatori and licked her lips looking down at Shigure who smiled at her placidly. "Do I not warrant a tale in your sexual awakening?" Shigure asked huskily. Tohru blushed again and began to speak again as she felt the tension inside of her building almost impossibly. Tohru's back arched and her toes pointed as she neared her climax.

"That is enough for now Shigure." Akito commanded. Standing up and walking towards Tohru and Shigure. Akito grabbed Tohru's arm and pulled her off the table walking her outside naked and tossing her in the back seat before getting in next to her.

Shigure blinked and Hatori stood adjusting himself briefly. "Come on before Akito decides to do something." Hatori said briskly walking to the doorway. Shigure followed getting dressed at a slower pace. As he climbed in the passenger seat Shigure glanced in the backseat to find Akito with his hands buried between Tohru's legs and her head pressed against the back of the headrest. Akito smiled sweetly at Shigure before putting up the divider and locking it. Shigure glanced at Hatori who was concentrating on driving the car. When Tohru screamed he flinched and Shigure banged on the divider as silence reigned from the back.

"Hatori we must drop Shigure off at home. Maybe we will see Yuki and the cat." Akito called to the front from the backseat and began to whisper to Tohru. Tohru started sobbing in response. Akito laughed darkly and began to whisper again in earnest.

Shigure strained his ears but could not make out any of the words. Tohru stopped sobbing gradually. Hatori pulled up to Shigure's house and immediately noticed Kyo sitting on the roof and Yuki coming around the side of the house. Shigure got out quickly but not quickly enough.

The window of the car began to lower and as Shigure dived to keep Kyo and Yuki from seeing Tohru. He heard Akito say, "Now say hello nice and loud and I might be generous."

"Bye, Kyo. Bye, Yuki." Tohru yelled as Hatori overrode the windows and forced them to rise again. Kyo and Yuki both stared at the car as Hatori speedily left. Shigure stood in his front yard at a loss shortly for what to say.

"Well what is for dinner, Kyo?" Shigure called walking into the house seeming to be his normal self. In truth Shigure was scared, scared for what Akito would do next.

In the back seat, Akito returned his hands to their former seat of operations. "Now Tohru you know that if you come you have just sentenced the animals to a life without you." Putting three fingers deep inside of her Akito hissed in her ear. "I asked you a question."

"I understand." Tohru stuttered. "What about my clothes?" She asked as Akito continued to work another finger inside of her.

"For what I will be doing to you they won't be necessary." Akito replied removing his fingers and licking them experimentally, pleased with the tasted, he licked each one individually as Tohru shuddered and looked out the window.

Hatori was white knuckling the steering wheel. His brain was feverishly thinking about different things that he could do to protect Tohru. As he pulled in the driveway and stopped the car, he heard Tohru give a yelp. Watching helplessly from the window he watched as Akito grabbed Tohru by the hair and dragged her naked body over the gravel and dirt. Tossing her on the ground, he kicked gravel at her. As Akito began to walk away, he turned and said something over his shoulder.

Hatori watched horrified as Akito began what appeared to be a stroll of his garden with Tohru crawling on her hands and knees behind him. Hatori was powerless and he knew it. Getting out of the car he went to his office and pulled out the things he would need to patch up Tohru later. The gravel pathways were a mixture of majority-crushed quartz, which would leave many smaller cuts. Hatori grimaced at thought of the pain Tohru was experiencing and vowed to ease it as much as possible.

"You were born under the sign of the dog so why don't I treat you like a dog?" Akito asked the silent Tohru. Akito smiled as he listened to the crunching and whimpering coming from behind him. Akito waited to see if Tohru was going to be an obedient dog.

"Aarp." Tohru responded in her best dog imitation. Akito could barely contain his smile. She would do well for what he was going to do to her. He was going to show her who her master was. He was going to teach her a thing or two about who really was in charge. If she passed his tests, she would get what she wanted. Akito was not going to make it easy for her, nor was he going to ease her into things.

"I'm sure you must need to relieve yourself." Akito commented barely holding in a chuckle. "Over there looks like a good spot." Akito pointed to a spot and watched out of the corner as Tohru blanched completely before rallying.

"I must do this. Everyone is counting on me." Tohru told herself, "But why does the tree have to be growing in poison ivy!" Tohru whimpered slightly at the thought of what would happen if she let that get anywhere near her private parts as she crawled over. Meanwhile Hatori turned from his spot near a window overlooking the garden and went to find calamine lotion.


	4. Chapter 4: Playing the Dragon's Game

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket. **

**Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing this. It has been a long journey but this story is beginning to reach a climax and ultimately a finish. Please Review and Enjoy.**

Akito watched Tohru head towards the tree with poison ivy growing under it and smiled. Whistling sharply between his teeth, he gained her attention. "Get back here. What type of a dumb dog goes in poison ivy?"

Tohru sighed with relief and managed to crawl back to her master. Patiently she sat back on her haunches and waited for him to speak again. Akito studied her posture; nodding to himself, he realized she would be the perfect vessel for his plan. In a way, what he did to her would be his redemption. Privately Akito thought that it would be a good joke for him when his plan was completed. Turning he began to walk back to the house hearing Tohru yelp occasionally when she crawled over a sharp stone.

Akito stepped on the porch leading to his room and stopped. Tohru stopped on the gravel waiting for Akito's wish. "You will be a kept pet." Akito said eyeing her. "You will no longer go to school because I can not be with you. A tutor will be provided, all your needs shall be taken care of. In exchange, you will do as I tell you without question. If at any time, you fail to do as I say when I say you forfeit your rights to seeing any Sohma ever again. You also forfeit the right to live, is that understood?" Akito recited verbatim the words he had written on a document in his room.

Tohru crouched and cocked her head thinking. The other Sohmas had done many things for her and somehow she needed to get assurance of their protection. "I will only agree if…" here Tohru faltered, closing her eyes to gather her courage. "You agree to never hurt the other Zodiac members again. I don't care about me as long as they are okay."

Akito smiled gently at her hopeless naivety. "Done. Come along, I will even allow you to freshen up." Akito turned to walk into the house and Tohru quickly followed.

Hatori watched the exchange from his post. He needed a cigarette badly or some other way to occupy his mouth. For some reason he had a strong oral fixation when under stress. Hatori spotted a movement in the garden and watched as Shigure stepped out into the dark garden and began to make his way towards where Akito's rooms. Hatori didn't think but ran to intercept Shigure.

"Hatori what are you doing?" Shigure asked as the dragon appeared before him, blocking his way to the porch and Akito.

"Stopping you from making a horrible situation worse." Hatori rumbled pushing his glasses up his nose. Crossing his arms in front of him, he waited for Shigure's response. Shigure laughed looking at the object of his lust.

"The only way you are going to stop me is to sleep with me." Shigure responded lazily. "We both know that you have a penchant for prudish behavior and realize the likelihood of that happening so why don't you just…" he never made it further.

Up until this point Hatori's nerves had been shot. Every thing around him was falling to pieces and no one seemed to be able to fix it. Hatori stared into the defiant eyes of Shigure and realized his course of action. He had heard Akito's words. Hatori knew that Tohru was the key to protecting them all from their worst enemy, themselves. Hatori reached forwarded and grabbed the stunned Shigure in a teeth crashing and punishing kiss. Releasing him, Hatori began backing away from the speechless Shigure. Hatori threw caution to the wind and walked back to his rooms, very much aware that Shigure was walking quietly behind him.

While Tohru was cleaning up Akito had watched the exchange between the dragon and the dog with interest. Akito felt his heart flutter as Shigure followed Hatori towards his rooms. Akito smiled, Shigure was surprising him. "Shigure has no real preference between male and female." Akito allowed himself to take that knowledge to heart. "Hatori will train Shigure well." Akito mused. "If Shigure thought, he was going to come out on top in that exchange he was sadly mistaken. It seems to be the night of the dogs." Akito sighed moving from the window he sat on his bed and waited patiently for his pet to return.

Tohru entered the room on all fours and waited for Akito to grant her permission to come closer. She had given some thought to her situation in the bathroom and realized that she could do worse. Eventually she would have to tell her best friends, but for tonight, she would do this for herself. "Come to me pet. I want to tell you my plan for your future. You have no choice any longer in the matter but I feel the need to confide my vision."

Hatori left his door open. As Shigure entered, he closed it, leaning against his eyes taking on a predatory glint. Hatori walked into his office and leaned against his desk, which faced the door. Shigure followed leaning against the doorframe. Hatori looked him in the eyes as he began to unbutton his shirt.

Shigure felt his mouth go dry as bit-by-bit Hatori's body came into view. Shigure remembered having closely coveted any views he got of Hatori's body. Shigure had never been attracted to men until that point when he had seen Hatori shirtless. Now, being in close proximity with the object of his lust staring into his eyes and daring him to touch was too much. Shigure emotionally withdrew himself deciding that maybe he shouldn't have followed Hatori.

Hatori noticed Shigure's emotional retreat and wasn't having it. "If my damn walls have to be down for this encounter and my emotions are raw so will yours be." Hatori thought dropping the shirt on his desk.

"Shigure, Shigure what am I going to do with you." Straightening, Hatori began lazily stroll towards the now cold Shigure.

"Absolutely nothing." Shigure replied standing tall. "You aren't the person I came to see."

"Is that a fact?" Hatori asked getting right in Shigure's face. Hatori caressed the man's chest through his kimono until he found what he was looking for. Removing the pack of cigarettes, he removed one and stuck it in his mouth. Realizing that he now had Shigure's undivided attention, Hatori went to his desk. Removing matches, he lit his cigarette. Inhaling deeply he tilted his head all the way back so that the long column of his neck was exposed. Then with the utmost care, he blew out a set of smoke rings. He poised this way for Shigure's benefit knowing what him smoking did for the man.

Shigure consigned himself to hell and back. His indifference melted as he watched Hatori exhale smoke. Not being able to help himself he walked to Hatori and began to suck on his neck. Starting just below his adam's apple he moved down, licking and biting. When he reached the the place where Hatori's neck and shoulder met Shigure buried his face and inhaled the smell of Hatori.

Hatori had lowered his head and was about to move when Shigure bit the place where his head had previously been resting. Hatori lost it. Ripping Shigure's clothes off and swearing at him. Shigure refused to release his teeth from the meaty part of Hatori's shoulder. Briefly, he felt some sane part of him question his actions. The part of him who held reservations was silenced when Shigure realized he was naked. Removing his teeth from his prize, he stepped back from the harshly breathing Hatori.

"Don't you know that dog's bite when they get something taken away from them?" Shigure said sharply baring his teeth.

Hatori blew smoke at the naked Shigure. "Don't you know that as the dragon of the zodiac I am the most eccentric? I take what I please." Hatori responded removing his pants, standing before the dog in only his boxers. Hatori proceeded to ball up his shirt and pants in a ball, leaving them on the desk.

"If you want to play it that way I am the better leader." Shigure growled standing toe to toe with the smoking Dragon and loving it.

"We'll see." Hatori responded putting out his cigarette in the ashtray. Slowly he turned back to the now irritated and aroused Shigure. "Well I will let you lead to the bedroom and from there…" Hatori shrugged. Shigure turned on his heel to leave the room only to feel Hatori grab his arm and swing him around. Shigure found himself bent over the desk with Hatori on top of him. One hand held his arms behind his back while the other hand was buried in his hair and keep his faced pressed into the desks smooth surface. "By eccentric I meant kinky." Hatori went to work proving his point.

Tohru stared at Akito and could barely understand what he was telling her. Akito tangled his hands into her hair and pulled her to him, violently. "If you tell anyone what I have said to you." Akito didn't need to finish. "Now let's play a game. I want to see what Hatori is doing."

"But?" Tohru started to question.

"He is with Shigure right now." Akito waved off her questions. "You are going to watch them." Akito rose excitement curling in his belly. Tohru crawled after him nervous. Akito took her to a place near Hatori's place where they entered through a secret passage. "Tell me what you see." Akito told her. Rising to her knees, Tohru looked in the little hole and swallowed. Akito got down behind her and inserted himself into her. Tohru whimpered and Akito whispered in her ear, "Don't look away. Consider this part of your sexual education."

**Warning this contains yaoi…I think that is the word for it anyway. Italics are for what happened in the past. IF you want to skip the majority of the yaoi part, you can start at the italics.**

Shigure was still trying to figure out how he had ended up in Hatori's bed. He remembered being slammed into the table completely naked. He had a vague recollection of Hatori warning him to stay completely still. Shigure, for once, had listened and was dually rewarded when Hatori had started licking and nibbling down his spine. What followed had Shigure a mindless mess of nerves. As Hatori's tongue had swirled along his but crack and licked at the rosette he found there, Shigure had lost all ability to think past the next action, the next step.

Hatori played Shigure like a trombone, his tongue licking and nibbling, while pulling Shigure's length. Shigure was shameless and tried to move only to have Hatori stop his ministrations entirely. Shigure had gotten the point quickly and became completely still again, waiting. Hatori had made Shigure wait for what seemed like forever before continuing, stroking him with a single-minded purpose that made Shigure weak in the knees.

Now Shigure could not remember his name. Lying on Hatori's bed chained to the metal frame headboard, Shigure was at a loss. As Hatori looked him over, an almost evil smile was playing across his lips. "You know Shigure I think I want to hold you on my fist." Hatori commented nonchalantly inserting two fingers into Shigure's ass. Shigure growled at Hatori threateningly as Hatori found his prostate. Shigure's growls turned to whimpers and deep groans.

Behind the wall, Tohru was just managing to stifle her own cries as Akito seemed hell bent on their discovery. Akito was timing his thrusts to correspond with Hatori's actions. "You want to know what I am going to do next Tohru, don't you?" Akito breathed into her ear.

"Hatori and Shigure, two of my favorites, doing things that you have only imagined." Akito smiled into the breathless ear of Tohru. "When you give birth to our child I want you to name them as god parents. They are the most stable of the zodiac." Akito began to nibble on Tohru's ear as his thrusts increased to keep up with Hatori.

Hatori could not help but grin at the man who was open lying completely bare to him. Putting more lube on his hand, he looked deeply into Shigure's eyes. Hatori flipped Shigure until he was lying flat on his stomach with his ass propped in the air by pillows. Hatori smiled when Shigure tried to keep some sort of balance as the cuffs twisted to allow for the sudden motion.

Hatori began to massage Shigure's lower back as he proceeded to work his four fingers in and out turning them to bump Shigure's prostate. Shigure began to let out a keening moan as Hatori worked him.

Tohru watching started doing some moaning of her own while her sexual education began to take on new meaning. Trying to stifle her quickly approaching orgasm, she thought about the things Akito had told her earlier.

"_You belong to me now." Akito told her smugly. "I have decided that you will be the mother of my child." Tohru had gasped and wanted to speak but something told her not to._

_Akito continued. "I am dying. I know it, the entire Zodiac is aware of it. As it stands no one knows how close I am to death." Tohru had felt the tears begin to well up in her eyes at this pronouncement. "Don't cry you prat. You are ugly when you cry." Akito quickly wiped the spilled tears from Tohru's cheeks with his sleeve. "Continuing on, Hatori has been able to save me from death many times already but this is something he cannot save me from. I have destroyed myself."_

"_Akito why?" Tohru felt her lip quiver, fighting to keep her tears under control, physically quaking with the effort Tohru looked into Akito's amused gaze. _

"_Simply because that is the only thing left for me." Akito answered before continuing on, "Hatori has a healing touch that will help him heal Shigure. You have already managed to affect most of the zodiac for the better. I fear Shigure was the only one who you had no effect on."_

"_What do you mean by healing touch?" Tohru asked her feverish brain latching on to the only part of the sentence that made sense. _

"_How do you think I have made it this long?" Akito retorted becoming slightly annoyed. "Time and Hatori will fix Shigure. Now you will fix me." _

"_How will that affect the curse?" Tohru queried her brow furrowed. _

_Akito smiled, "I have already explained it to you. If I have to repeat myself…" Akito grabbed a hank of her hair to pull her up to her knee. He laughed outright at her childish pleas for mercy. "I have other things we can do besides talk." _

Shigure screamed wildly from inside the room as Tohru screamed from her hidden spot. Akito chuckled darkly as Hatori leaned down sucked on just the tip of Shigure's member, his fist inserted into Shigure. Shigure screamed a final time arching off the bed completely before pleasure overloaded him and he fainted. Tohru panted, from her spot against the wall, as Akito put her in wheelbarrow position and told her to go back to his room.

Tohru felt her whole body blush as she shakily took the first step. The wheelbarrow position was awkward but Tohru managed to make it. Akito wheeled her towards his bed and sat down. Tohru still had her hands braced on the floor in front of her and Akito still held her legs.

"Now I do believe you came without permission and that is a very serious crime." Akito stated with a gleam in his eye. Tohru whimpered knowing that she would not be getting any sleep tonight.

Eight months had passed since that faithful night; Tohru watched Shigure and Hatori. For eight months, Tohru had kept her word and stayed with Akito. Now Akito was dead. He had died horribly coughing up blood until he lay stiff without the strength to cough any more. Tohru had run as fast as her pregnant body would allow getting Hatori and Shigure. When she had returned it had been too late.

Hatori did not have to touch Akito to know he was dead. His eyes wide open, his naked form resting on his back with only a bed sheet covering him. Tohru had broken down in sobs and grabbed Shigure, her heart breaking as she cried into his chest. Neither realized the significance of this action until Hatori had hugged them both.

Tohru had started laughing then and the men realized why. They were free at last. Tohru removed herself from their embrace and knelt next to Akito, brushing the hair away from his face. Kissing his forehead, she closed his eyes and whispered in his ear. Shigure and Hatori both strained to hear her words but to no avail.

She had insisted that they leave so she could be alone. They had both granted her wish and she had climbed back into bed with him, her thoughts a blur.

"You are still alive in my body and my dreams." Tohru whispered into Akito's ear as if he was only sleeping. Snuggling down she had gone to a restful sleep.

The next morning all hell had broken loose as every Sohma in creation came to pay their respects and in some cases make sure the bastard stayed dead. Tohru sat in a black mourning kimono and observed the spectacle. Her pregnant belly stood out in sharp relief from her tiny form. She had managed to graduate high school and now she was awaiting her first child.

Shigure sat next to her on the floor an arm gently draped around her shoulders. Occasionally he would whisper things in her ear while Hatori paid strict attention to how much Tohru ate and fielded the questions of what her exact relationship to Akito had been.

By the end of the week, Tohru was weary of constantly bumping into people and went for a walk to calm her nerves. She had not made it far when Kyo and Yuki decided to accompany her. The three had not spoken since she had accepted the position with Akito. For a while, no one spoke until Kyo's patience finally could not stand it anymore.

"Why did you have to go and leave?" Kyo demanded. "Were we not good enough for you?"

"Ano…" Tohru stopped; Akito hated it when she said that. The thought involuntarily brought tears to her eyes. "You are free aren't you?" Tohru cried her emotions getting the better as she tried to keep calm. She began to rub her belly in an attempt to calm down. Kyo's bewildered expression was not helping matters and Yuki seemed to be contemplating something.

"I got cursed with Akito and you all are now free." Tohru tried to pull herself together but failed as she crumpled to the ground. As she sobbed helplessly, she heard the unmistakable voices of Haru and Momiji approaching.

"Tohru!" Momiji yelled running to her crumpled form.

"What the hell did you two do to her?" Haru demanded glaring at the stunned Kyo and Yuki.

"Come on Tohru lets get you back to the house." Momiji said his eyes flashing dangerously at the cat and rat. Haru got on Tohru's other side. Together the three walked back to the compound. Along with Hatori and Shigure, Momiji and Haru knew what it cost Tohru to stay with Akito.

They would see her around; she would have bruises or be crawling on all fours. Akito would laugh and heap abuse on her. There were moments though that they were not suppose to see. Moments where Akito would be singing to her belly or watching her sleep, drawing her picture. Sometimes maids and the zodiac members would come across them sitting together in the garden. Tohru would have her head on Akito's lap and he would be rubbing her back. Everyone had come to the same conclusion, in his own way Akito truly loved her.

Akito no longer abused the members of the zodiac. He seemed to tolerate them now, only occasionally scolding them or yelling. As he grew weaker, he took amusement from their antics. All bitterness at his lot in life seemed to be gone. When he had died, it was as if he had never done any wrong. People seemed to forget all the bad things someone had done while they lived when that person died. Akito was a testimony to that.

Tohru took to her bed following the incident with Kyo. She was closing in on her due date. Momiji and Haru took to sleeping in her bed to keep her company. Hatori and Shigure moved next door. One night two weeks after Akito's funeral, Tohru woke because she felt an undeniable pressure in her lower back. Rolling out of the bed, she went to the rest room and experienced a contraction that made her fall to her knees screaming in pain.

When the pain stopped, Tohru grabbed onto the windowsill and pulled herself up. Looking out she saw the blue moon that she had been so excited to see. Again, pain brought her to her knees. Tohru had been feeling contractions on and off all day but none this sharply or this close together. On her knees, she crawled to the porch facing the gardens.

"If I am going to die in labor then by god I am going to have a view." She thought. This single-minded determination got her to the gazebo in the middle of the garden. It looked like she would have the baby by herself if not for two serendipitous things.

The first being Shigure woke to come and check on her. Finding her gone he immediately roused Momiji, Haru and Hatori who sat out to find her. After an hour of searching by moonlight, no one had any luck until Momiji felt every hair on his body stand up as he looked at the garden. Momiji had always been lucky; this was the second serendipitous occurrence. Tohru was beginning to feel sick; the baby was not coming out. As she prepared herself to see, Akito again faster than she thought Hatori appeared.

It was too late to move her when Hatori arrived. Sending the others off to get his supplies Hatori eyed her. He saw the fear, the anxiety, self-loathing and he could not bear it.

"Tohru look at me." Hatori told her sternly. Tohru looked at him and watched as he but to fingers to his forehead. An almost blinding white light appeared; rendering Hatori's eyes behind his glasses invisible. The two fingers hit Tohru neatly between her eyebrows. "You won't remember this." Hatori said softly as Tohru collapsed, delivering the baby as her body slumped


	5. Chapter 5: Recovery and Discovery

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.**

Tohru stared at her child deep in thought. The child looked exactly like her father. Tohru hates her on sight, at first. "Why does she have to look like him?" She demanded of Hatori staring at the tiny child with darkly angelic features.

"Who?" Hatori asked mildly.

"I don't know." Tohru replied frowning in thought.

"Yes you do." Hatori told her his eyes watchful. "Shigure come in here this affects both of you." Shigure who had been standing at the door contemplating whether to make his presence known entered shutting the door carefully behind him.

"There are some things I must tell you both." Hatori said calmly. "I do not want any interruptions or you will never hear me speak of these things again. Do I make myself clear?" Both Tohru and Shigure nodded.

Taking a deep breath Hatori began, "You both have been suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. Varying forms in each case. Tohru you are the easiest to explain. Akito treated you horribly, only occasionally showing you any hope. The isolation from people helped reinforce this. You were convinced that everything you did would lead to the happiness of others. In defense against him, you submitted, as I told you to. In that sense I am glad because it made it easier for me to shake your memory away from what you thought was his love for you and vice versa. In the end, you will see what is true but for now, you have your daughter to take into account. Do not think to hard or your memories will be lost to you. Just let your memories come back slowly and you should be fine."

A knock on the door disturbed Hatori. "Who is it?" Tohru called trying to take in all that she heard. The housekeeper entered and asked if they would like lunch in the garden. When Tohru nodded, the nanny who had followed the housekeeper took the baby. The three made their way quietly to the garden to eat lunch.

Shigure did not touch his food but waited obediently for Hatori to finish. Hatori sighed knowing that he was about to lose everything. "Tohru I know that you have had a lot to take in but…" Hatori started.

"I am staying." Tohru said stubbornly scooting closer to Shigure, holding his hand.

"Shigure, you really did love Akito. That much I am sure of however I did some things to you because of Akito's wish not to have you love him anymore. I was your captor." Hatori stopped pulling out a pack of cigarettes and placing them on the table. "I am ashamed to say but you have been an experiment for me from the start. A Pavlov's dog if you will." Shigure paled and Hatori took a sip of tea to clear his throat.

"From the very beginning I have been training you to respond to certain stimuli. Cigarette smoke, certain verbal cues planted into your subconscious to make you believe and do things. Akito thought it was fun to screw with your head. I realize your true feelings one day but it was too late. Akito had killed his mother and his body was changing from female to male. Akito was losing what grips on sanity he had." Now Hatori stopped unable to continue. Shigure had a hard look in his eye, visibly shaking with anger. Tohru was calm trying to wrap her head around all the new things.

Shigure opened his mouth to speak and Hatori neatly lit a cigarette and blew a ring of smoke at him. Shigure closed his mouth and fought with himself to control, what he now realized was his trained reaction to the act. Hatori watched him struggle a sad smile on his face. Tohru could relate to that smile.

"Your last night with Akito was meant to be a barrier for any other feelings you had for him to transfer to me. You could still think about Akito and have feelings for him but any actions you would have taken became directed at me. Continuing on, you will notice Shigure that you have started to gain a feeling of awareness of your actions. I put in that safety valve for when I had to release you from the barriers I put on your mind." Hatori told the struggling man who was now sweating profusely.

"Stop it Hatori you don't want to hurt him." Tohru whispered looking between the shaking Shigure and the smoking Hatori. "You love him Hatori."

"Yes but he is in love with a dead man. It might even be more correct to say a dead woman, at least from Shigure's mind." Hatori replied putting out his cigarette and standing. "That is all you will get out of me for now." Turning he walked away his cigarette still burning at the table.

Picking it up Tohru rubbed it out on the table. Shigure slumped forward. Tohru stood and looked down at him quietly before following Hatori.

Tohru found him sitting at his desk looking out the window. As she entered and closed the door, she watched him ignore her presence. "You love him, he loves Akito. I love my daughter." Tohru said softly. "What a mess Akito left behind. He used you for his selfish purposes. He resented you. You wouldn't let him die." Tohru spoke the words aloud. "You disobeyed everything and fought him. You made him live, you made him acknowledge things, and he made you yearn to forget everything. So you put blocks on Shigure's memory and you took away the ones in mine."

"You have no idea the other things I've done." Hatori told her hoarsely continuing to stare out the window his back to her.

"All in the name God." Tohru laughed at the irony. "You did it for your own reasons; no one makes the dragon a slave. Not even Akito. When you realize for yourself what your reasons are let me know."

"When did you become perceptive?" Hatori demanded as he swung around to face her.

"Don't you mean intuitive?" Tohru asked. "Just because I act stupid doesn't mean I am. Try not to think too hard or your memories will not come to you. Let's hope the same thing works for feelings." Tohru walked out of Hatori's office laughing at his stunned face. Pausing before closing his door, she turned around. "I became perceptive when I came to live in this house and intuitive when I became a mother. So we are both right, about a lot of things."

Tohru closed the door with a barely audible click and went to find Shigure.

Shigure had not moved since Tohru and Hatori had left him. As the sky darkened for what looked like a storm, he prayed lightening would strike him. "If lightening strikes me at least I won't have to think anymore." Shigure grimaced to himself as he went over all he had been told. "Hatori loves me but he betrayed me. I love Akito but she betrayed me, no, he betrayed me. I love Tohru and she…" Shigure paused in his thoughts considering. His head buzzed as he realized the only true victim had been Tohru. "She broke the curse and yet I am still stuck as a loveless animal."

"Shigure?" Tohru called quietly not wanted to disturb the thoughtful looking man.

"Tohru." Shigure acknowledged before he went back to his internal dialogue.

"Shigure if you need to talk…" Tohru broke off when Shigure stared into her eyes calmly with an indulging smile.

"Tohru surely you wouldn't be the one I would talk to. It would be like Ritsu addressing Ayame without leaping into a panic attack." Shigure drawled dismissing her.

"Well I see you have gone back to playing the bastard to hide your feelings." Tohru nonchalantly commented as she turned to leave.

"I beg your pardon?" Shigure said standing up so that he towered over Tohru. "For the last hour my feelings have been stepped on repeatedly and incessantly. Why don't you just go somewhere and cry about how you have lost so much, when in truth you have no idea you brazen little…"

Tohru slapped Shigure with all her strength effectively silencing him. "Well no wonder nobody loves you or stays with you. If that's the way you treat anyone who tries to help you." Tohru stated blandly.

"Yes well look what being nice has gotten me." Shigure retorted. "A dead lover who ordered my memories erased but did not realize that his little memory sweeper was in love with me as well. Said memory sweeper treats me as an experiment to test his powers. Oh, did I mention he conditioned me to love him? Well excuse me for being a little out of sorts."

"Feeling better?" Tohru asked smiling slightly.

"Well now that I have that out in the open what the hell are we going to do?" Shigure paused. "We both are victims of circumstance and curses. Tohru you broke one curse and landed us all in another."

"Shigure all I know is I have a little girl depending on me to figure out what is right. She doesn't deserve any of this." Tohru floundered briefly. "I think I am going to have to leave."

"Tohru you don't have to leave I will." Hatori stepped out of the shadows of a tree as the first bolt of lightening arced through the air.

Tohru and Shigure regarded Hatori in silence. He already had a black trench coat on as well as a fedora. The suitcase in one hand pointed to the fact that he had already planned to leave. "Akito is gone so I have no reason to stay here any more." Hatori answered the unasked question. "I can finally go out and live my life." With these words, he turned and left the garden.

For a few minutes after he left Tohru and Shigure stood as statues until Shigure spoke. "Are we going to let that bastard run away from a mess he helped create?"

"No but let's get him comfortable before we flush him out again." Tohru replied as the rain began to fall and the two hurried into the house.

"I think I have a plan Tohru." Shigure smirked at his rapidly forming plan. "He is going to learn how much power he really has. Nothing dangerous but something to get his attention, it is funny that now as I think away from him I remember times when he did not smoke around me or even speak to me. There were times where I genuinely cared for him. Don't get me wrong I won't forgive him so easily, Akito's dead so forgiveness is a given, eventually." Shigure paused eyebrow scrunching. "All this introspectiveness is giving me a headache."

"You can tell me your plan tomorrow." Tohru replied amused by Shigure's ability to bounce back and start plotting again. "Shigure, why exactly did you fall in love with Akito?" Tohru asked as the thought occurred to her.

"Explaining that would require my headache becoming a migraine for me to explain it to you." Shigure told her walking towards his room next to hers. "If you get lonely…" Shigure sent Tohru a sly smile before entering his room and sliding the door shut. He did not need to finish the sentence.

Tohru blushed scarlet. "You will have to tell me that tomorrow as well." She called knowing Shigure had not moved away from the door.


	6. Chapter 6: God's Plan

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket**

**I cannot wait to read the reviews after this chapter. I hope that I get some. Enjoy!**

Hatori drove himself to an apartment he had bought a long time ago. Getting out of the car he began to think on the last things that had occurred. "His little memory sweeper." Shigure had said." Hatori huffed at the thought. Once Shigure had realized that Akito was a hermaphrodite he had just taken to referring to Akito as a he to keep up appearances. "Shigure you are a fool." Hatori thought to himself.

On his way to the apartment he checked his mailbox and found a letter. The elegant scrawl was somehow familiar to Hatori but he did not think about that. He thought instead about all the things he had told Tohru and Shigure. "You are victims." Hatori thought and smiled realizing that the sly dog only chose to be a victim.

Entering his apartment he dropped the suitcase took off his jacket. Absentmindedly he sat in a chair and opened the envelope. "Akito?" Hatori whispered before falling onto the floor in shock. He stayed that way for a time blindly staring at the letter, picking up the envelope he noted that it postmarked the day after Akito's death. Staring back at the letter Hatori began to shake as he read:

_Hatori,_

_If you are reading this I am dead. My plan has become a reality. Tohru will give birth soon and I will have a rebirth. The curse will return. I can feel your body shaking in horror as you read, so predictable. I can even see you doing the honorable thing and telling Tohru and Shigure about their syndromes. What you failed to foresee was that I had already informed Tohru and she has helped me with my plan. No doubt your mind is rolling with the endless possibilities. _

_If you are curious about what else is going on you may ask her. In my death I have succeeded beyond my wildest dreams in hurting both you and Shigure. We both know Shigure is just someone whom you happened to have a fixation. After your little fiancé drama it is understandable that you want to stay closer to home. Unfortunately you fell in love with the one man you were not suppose to have. Dog is just God spelled backwards. My eccentric dragon try to understand…you are alone for a reason._

_Another thing you will find interesting is only certain members of the zodiac will have the curse affect them as it did previously. Blame Tohru for she insisted that I not allow it to come back completely. The new form is something you will see soon. It will be my greatest pleasure to watch it happen._

_Akito_

Hatori went into his bathroom and threw up everything he had eaten. When he was done he sat beside the toilet and cried. His glasses fogged so he threw them in the bathtub before following them in and turning on the water. As the tub filled he tried to think of something that would save him.

"I thought I was free." Hatori contemplated his life's frustration making him care less. "Akito told me if I did those things the curse would be gone." Laying back in the tub he tried to bring to mind something to get him through his rapidly descending depression. Laying on his back in the tub he allowed the water to keep rising not caring as it covered his ears, covered his eyes and finally his nose.

* * *

Tohru sat in her room and looked at the list of things Akito had assigned her to do following his death. Checking off two tasks she sighed. Akito's plan had been too complex when he had first told her it. He eventually had broken it into steps for her. Towards the end he had even revealed her syndrome and told her how to counteract it.

Akito had predicted everything. He had known what Hatori would do, from trying to restore her memory by removing blocks to more subtle things. He had even foreseen some of Shigure's reactions. Tohru looked at the list with determination. There were only three things left for her to do. Three things and she could be free of the awful tasks assigned to her. She could then begin to rewrite history or change what could be the future.

A baby's cry pierced the night. "Tori what am I going to do with you?" Tohru asked picking up the crying child who quieted down almost immediately. "Or should I call you Akito?" Tohru asked the dark eyed child who was peacefully drifting back to sleep.

Tohru had been planning for months. The New Year celebration was today and everything would finally end. It would be the year of the Ox. Tohru stood holding her baby and thinking about the events that would unfold themselves. A lot depended on the reaction of the members of the zodiac. She had seen them all arrive earlier but had remained hidden. The only person she had confided her thoughts to had been Momiji and only then because she would need his luck.

Akito's task list only had two things left on it. One of which would be announced at the New Year celebration. Handing the baby to the waiting nurse Tohru dressed with care. When she had finished dressing, she allowed one of the servants to put her hair in an elaborate up do. Standing in front of her mirror, she smiled. The kimono had been one Akito had ordered for her. It was black with firework designs of color trailing down the back. Accepting the fan she was handed she made her way to the main banquet hall where the celebration took place.

Entering she watched as all the zodiac members bowed to her as she sat at the head of the large U shaped table set up. On her left was Yuki because his year was ending and on her right would sit Haru as the incoming year. The lamps dimmed and all the zodiac members became silent in anticipation as Haru entered.

Haru danced with what seemed to be mindless grace and intensity. Sometimes his actions were soft and fluid. Other times his actions were hard and violent. The dance was in perfect harmony with his dual nature. When he was done, Tohru rang the bell signaling the change to the Year of the Ox.

As the servants finished placing the food for the banquet, Tohru stands to get everyone's attention. "None of you are quite sure why I am here. You know I am not God but I sit in his stead. Why you may ask? It is simple. Akito left message I am to read in his stead."

_Dear Zodiac,_

_You thought I was gone didn't you? I am reborn. One of you got a letter already saying as much. It is funny really, being reborn into the world that destroyed you. The joke continues it's hilarity because I was reborn into a family as known for its weakness and depravity as power and wealth. For you I propose a test. You can only accept it. Consider this one of my final orders to you. _

_Once again you will have a God in your presence. As this letter is finished her presence shall mean the beginning of another life. You have the chance to change. Will you do it? The child brought in this world an innocent among wolves. Treat her well and maybe you can fix what you broke. If not then you have signed your fate again. _

_The curse has returned. Some of you will notice its effects while others of you do not. Those who have done right by Tohru will be truly free and those who have not will find themselves hindered in a fitting way. For those you love you cannot touch for your love will trigger the curse to revert you to your natural zodiac state. _

_As I lived, I only returned the negative emotions that were given to me by others tenfold the rate at which they were given. Keep that in mind as you deal with me now. Now I propose to you to eat well and hug Tohru on your way out. This shall reveal part of your fate until she reveals the rest._

_Akito_

Tohru resumed her seat and felt eyes turned to her. The banquet took on a less jovial feel. As the dawn began to break, the banquet was complete. Standing Tohru waited for the first members to come forward. Yuki stood hugged her and smiled when he maintained his form. Kissing her on the cheek, he quietly left.

Gradually the zodiac members came and hugged her one by one. Hatori, Shigure, Haru, Momiji and Ayame remained in their seats eyeing each other. Ayame stood once he realized no one else would stand. Walking up to Tohru, he smiled.

"Hugging you will not change my life." Ayame said smoothly as he grasped her hand and kissed its back. He strolled out of the room easily leaving the remaining members to face their fate.

"Tohru." Haru said placidly before he too left. Momiji followed in his wake. Momiji however stopped at the door and waited patiently.

"Shigure and Hatori?" Tohru called softly. Gaining both men's full attention, she walked towards the one closest to her. "Shigure you have another chance will you take it?"

"Tohru I already know what will happen if I touch you." Shigure paused. "I am curious though at what will happen if I hug Hatori."

Hatori swallowed reflexively and stared at the determined stride of Shigure. Throwing caution to the wind Hatori quickly tried to execute a strategic retreat only to be thwarted by the tiny foot of Momiji at the door. Hatori had barely had time to register that he was on the ground before he felt a weight settle on him. There were two quick poofs and both men had transformed.

Quickly Momiji grabbed Shigure while Tohru grabbed Hatori. They managed to lock both men in a room together with no other exit before they both returned to their other forms.

"Now what does Akito's list say for you to do?" Momiji asked Tohru as he dusted off his hands. They could both hear Shigure crashing against the door in the now locked room.

"That was it Momiji." Tohru replied. "Locking those two in a room together was the last thing. It feels strange to be free of all these rules and tasks though." Tohru remarked thoughtfully.

"I have some things you could do." Momiji smiled at Tohru innocently. "After all I had to watch Hatori have you when I hadn't even gotten a turn yet."

Tohru blanched, her eyes widening as her gaze fell on the angelic countenance of Momiji. "I don't think that would be a good idea." Tohru stuttered waving her hands frantically in front of her as if to dispel the notion from the air.

"Well then I wouldn't leave my door unlocked." Momiji replied waltzing by Tohru and giving her a playful swat on the behind for her troubles. Tohru jumped in shock, stepping on the back of her kimono. As she began to fall backwards, she wondered belatedly what life would be like now that most of the zodiac could touch members of the opposite sex. Tohru felt strong arms grab her, there was another poof and Tohru looked up into the face of the ox.

"Oh dear." Tohru said faintly to the ox. "Well at least I found out that you match all over."

**Thanks for reading! So ends my first Fan fiction. It is somewhat sad really. I will be taking requests for other stories so feel free to let me know. Also thanks to my beta as always. Thank you lovely readers and reviewers who kept me going **


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